You don't have to think about people in order to have them firmly embedded within your culture.
Referring to the accolades, it wasn't to the extent of Armstrong wanting to receive them, apparently he was a shy man, it was directed to the people that still want to offer them to a living presence, perhaps as an inspiration for further achievement. The pilot won't make it to the planned fiftieth year celebration of the first lunar landing. An expression of the loss of the man, might be best summed up by what his shipmate, Buzz Aldrin, has to say about the death of his friend. Armstrong also had definite opinions on the direction of the space program, and people wanted to listen to them. He was a member of a select club, and now only his picture is on the wall. Twenty seconds of fuel left in the lunar lander when he found a decent looking place to set down.....
Thomas Jefferson also had great achievements, but there is still reason to be sad that he isn't around now either. Phyllis Diller had a lively and interesting hairdo.